09/04/2023 6:18 pm (current 09/04/2023 6:20 pm)
The Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne ©APA/AFP
According to the government, the ban on long dresses in French schools did not cause any conflict at the start of the new school year. “There were no incidents,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Monday. She visited a school near Rennes with Education Minister Gabriel Attal. The ban on abayas, long coats worn by some Muslim women, sparked heated debate.
The new rule also affects knee-length or floor-length shirts worn by boys. According to the government, these are items of clothing that demonstrate religious affiliation with Islam. However, some of those affected explain that the item of clothing has nothing to do with religion, but is practical and comfortable.
“We identified 513 schools in which the topic could play a role,” Education Minister Attal told broadcaster RTL. The staff at these facilities received special training. There should first be discussions with the girls who don’t want to take off their abaya.
Just before the start of the school year, French President Emmanuel Macron declared: “We will not let anything go unpunished.” In France, the state and religious communities are strictly separated. Since 2004, the wearing of headscarves, yarmulkes and crosses on necklaces has been banned in schools.
The opposition accuses the minister of using the ban on clothing worn by some Muslims to divert attention from other problems, such as the ongoing shortage of teachers, the rising cost of school supplies and bullying in schools. The debate serves to “hide the real problems and stigmatize part of the population”, said union leader Sophie Binet.
The Minister of Education confirmed this Monday that no classes should be canceled this academic year due to a lack of teachers. “A teacher at the head of each class”, this promise must be fulfilled, said Attal. A new plan to combat bullying in schools will also be presented at the end of the month.
The issue of school uniforms, which is regularly discussed in France, is also back on the agenda. In the fall, several schools will introduce uniforms on a trial basis, Attal said. “It’s not a miracle cure, but it’s worth trying.”
The school visit by the two government members drew criticism from the opposition because Borne and Attal traveled by plane to Rennes. The train connection takes just under an hour and a half.